Premiership round-up

Arsenal's Ashley Cole will face Newcastle at St James' Park on Sunday despite a groin injury that is likely to effect him for the rest of the season.

But Highbury boss Arsene Wenger has ruled out the need for immediate surgery and expects Cole to be called up for England's game against Australia on Wednesday even though he's hopeful Sven-Goran Eriksson might restrict the full back's involvement.

Freddie Ljungberg suffered a "slight reaction" to an Achilles problem after his comeback in a reserve game earlier this week.

Reserve goalkeeper Rami Shaaban, recovering from a broken leg, is Arsenal's only other senior absentee.

Graham Taylor will be forced to reshuffle his defence as his side try for a third successive win in the Barclaycard Premiership encounter with Fulham at Loftus Road.

Right-back Mark Delaney is facing another lengthy spell on the side-lines after undergoing knee surgery in midweek. Taylor has the option of a straight swap in recalling Rob Edwards who played three games on the trot over the Christmas-New Year period.

But he could also switch Jlloyd Samuel from the left flank into his England Under-21 position with Steve Staunton and Alan Wright then vying for a recall as his replacement.

It is likely to be the only change from the side which defeated Blackburn 3-0 although fit again midfielder Ian Taylor will be vying for a place in the 16.

Midfielder Aliou Cisse is poised to return after a three week absence for the home Premiership meeting with Chelsea. The Senegal captain has missed City's last two games with a calf injury suffered in the 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

But there is no guarantee of an instant recall to the starting line-up given the man of the match performance by Stephen Clemence against Manchester United.

Striker Geoff Horsfield is also vying for a place in the 16 after recovering from a double hernia operation as Blues look to end a run of eight games without a win.

Craig Short should return to bolster Blackburn's back line as they prepare to face Southampton at Ewood Park.

Short sat out the midweek FA Cup defeat at Sunderland with a calf strain but is named in the squad alongside central defensive partner Henning Berg, who returned at the Stadium of Light for the first time in four months.

Damien Duff has not quite regained full fitness and sits out again, along with David Dunn and the still suspended Andy Todd.

Luke Young is back in training after his hamstring injury but will not be fit for Charlton Athletic's home match against Everton tomorrow.

Manager Alan Curbishley, whose side do not have a match next weekend because they are out of the FA Cup, hopes to have Young and close-season signing Gary Rowett back to face Aston Villa in a fortnight when both Paul Konchesky and Mark Fish will be suspended.

Therefore, Curbishley will rely on the squad that won 3-1 at Sunderland last weekend.

Wayne Rooney returns to Everton's squad for tomorrow's Barclaycard Premiership trip to Charlton - but it is not expected he will start at The Valley after his four-match ban and the postponement of his reserve run-out earlier in the week.

Fifth-placed Everton have injury worries over Steve Watson (heel) and Alessandro Pistone (groin), but both will be given every chance to prove their fitness.

Everton have won their last three games and are aiming for their second Premiership double in successive games, having beaten Leeds for the second time this season last weekend. They beat Charlton 1-0 at Goodison Park in November.

Mark Viduka starts a three-match suspension following his sending-off in the FA Cup fourth-round tie at Gillingham - while Alan Smith has a virus and is doubtful, along with Harry Kewell who continues to be troubled by a tight hamstring.

If the latter two are out Eirik Bakke will continue in his emergency striker ole and could be joined up front by either 17-year-old James Milner or left-winger Jason Wilcox.

If Wilcox is pushed up front Venables will give Raul Bravo - on loan for the rest of the season from Real Madrid - a debut on the left-hand side of midfield or at left-back in place of Ian Harte.

In defence, Lucas Radebe is out after suffering concussion in Tuesday's cup replay win over Gillingham and is likely to be replaced by Michael Duberry, with captain Dominic Matteo available despite his knee problems.

Liverpool have Steven Gerrard suspended when they face Middlesbrough at Anfield tomorrow.

Gerrard serves the second match of a three-match ban but Vladimir Smicer returns to the squad after a one match ban.

After their shock FA Cup exit at the hands of 10-man Crystal Palace on Wednesday, Liverpool will need to bounce back quickly in front of their own worried fans against the side with the worst away record in the top flight.

Senegal midfielder Salif Diao played only 45 minutes of a 2-1 reserve defeat by Bolton on Thursday, suggesting he may well be involved in the starting line-up against Boro in place of Dietmar Hamann, who is not fully match fit after his long lay off.

Peter Schmeichel and Eyal Berkovic are Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan's main doubts ahead of the 127th league encounter with Manchester United.

Schmeichel (calf) is hopeful of making an emotional Old Trafford return while Berkovic (stomach) shrugged off some pessimistic noises from the City camp by returning to training this week and should be available if he suffers no reaction.

Carlo Nash and Ali Benarbia are the men most at risk should the duo return but Keegan must also decide whether to persevere with Richard Dunne at right wing-back or draft in Jihai Sun or Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Defender Sylvain Distin missed the 3-1 Maine Road win earlier in the season but the Frenchman is certain to be included this time, fresh from being named City's player of the month for January.

French keeper Fabien Barthez stands by for a Manchester derby recall at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Barthez missed the midweek win over Birmingham after suffering hip and thigh damage against Southampton last Saturday but is believed to have made some progress and will return ahead of Roy Carroll if passed fit to play.

With 18 wins from 22 starts since the Maine Road horror show, manager Sir Alex Ferguson has got the reaction he demanded.

Nicky Butt, Phil Neville and John O'Shea will all hope to return to the starting line-up, although changes will probably be kept to a minimum.

Middlesbrough include new signings Michael Ricketts, Chris Riggott, Malcolm Christie and John Eustace in their squad for the first time as they head to Liverpool for a noon kick-off tomorrow.

Striker Noel Whelan is ruled out with a back injury with defenders Stuart Parnaby (hamstring) and Franck Queudrue (knee) doubtful.

Middlesbrough will be seeking to record a double over the Reds' - whose 1-0 defeat at the Riverside in November signalled the start of their troubled two months - with their first away win since September.

New signings Danny Higginbotham and David Prutton are both in contention to make debuts for Southampton at Blackburn tomorrow.

Higginbotham, a £1.25million signing from Derby, is in line to start at left-back, because veteran Francis Benali is struggling with a calf injury and England star Wayne Bridge is out for a further two weeks with a similar problem.

England Under-21s captain Prutton, signed from Nottingham Forest for £2.5 million pound, could figure after being unavailable for the FA Cup win at Millwall in midweek.

Midfielder Rory Delap is hoping for a recall after returning to training following a calf strain which has kept him out for the last two games. But strikers Agustin Delgado and Marian Pahars are no closer to returning from their respective long-term knee and ankle problems.

West Ham striker Fredi Kanoute is set to start in tomorrow's Barclaycard Premiership visit to Leeds - having come through with no trouble from his two appearances as a substitute.

Kanoute, who had been suffering with a groin injury which forced him out of the side from September, did return for the Boxing Day match at home to Fulham before he had to come off after 68 minutes.

He has had rehabilitation in America and is now set to lead the line at Elland Road as West Ham begins their next bid to climb out of relegation trouble.

Manager Glenn Roeder also welcomes back Steve Lomas from suspension and Ian Pearce - who had been suffering from flu - while giving a full debut to left back Rufus Brevett in the absence of wrist injury victim Nigel Winterburn.